10 Modern Appliances That Will Give Your Kitchen A Retro Feel

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We don't know if you've noticed, but living in the past feels very current. We don't mean clinging onto old memories or outdated ideas: We mean that on a style level, retro has never been more popular. Retro aesthetics are everywhere these days, and rather than decorate their homes in the latest trends, people are increasingly preferring timeless styles, filling their living spaces with midcentury modern or art deco furniture. Unfortunately, buying a desk or wardrobe made in the 1950s might work, but buying a toaster or fridge that was made in the same period won't, due to the simple fact that electrical kitchen appliances face heavy daily use and generally deteriorate way more quickly. Retro kitchen items might be cool again, but finding appropriate ones can be tough. 

Thankfully, there's no need to purchase authentic appliances to get a retro aesthetic — you can simply grab a modern version. There are plenty of manufacturers out there these days that create brand-new appliances that feel as though they were created decades ago, and in doing so, produce items that defy trends. SMEG, Big Chill, and the aptly-named Nostalgia are just a few of the companies throwing us back into the past with their electrical items. Here are some of our absolute favorites.

If you've ever seen a SMEG appliance, you'll know what the company's going for. Its electrical kitchen goods are a retro lover's dream, with their designs and color schemes both harkening back to the appliances of yesteryear while also somehow managing to remain current. Its SMEG 2-Slice Retro Toaster is perhaps the best example of this in action. Its simple, sleek, curved design mirrors toaster designs that were popular in the 1950s and '60s, but where those toasters often looked like Airstream trailers with a splash of color for good measure, the SMEG toaster's body is coated entirely in your chosen shade.

As for which shade to choose from, you've got a lot of options. The SMEG 2-Slice Retro Toaster comes in 11 different colors, including red, navy, pink, pastel blue, and matte white. No matter which option you go for, it'll look good. It's kitted out with extra-wide slots for loads of different toast slices, and a ball lever knob on the side adds a nice touch. Bear in mind that this toaster isn't on the cheap side — it'll cost upwards of $200 — but if you have the cash to splash, it'll never go out of style.

Brentwood may have only been around since 1990, but that hasn't stopped the appliance company from reaching back into the past for design inspiration. The business creates a host of retro-inspired goods that exist alongside its more modern-feeling pieces. Perhaps our favorite in its product line, though, is its Appliances 2 Speed Countertop Blender. This blender has a wide, curved base that feels distinctly '50s, and its pastel blue color almost makes it feel like a piece of pop art.

The retro design is also pleasingly free of clutter, with no unnecessary buttons or displays that might make this appliance feel a little bit fussy. Instead, it's operated entirely by a single, large dial on its front panel. This design choice not only looks good, but it keeps the operation of the blender simple: You just turn it to power it up, and do the same to turn it off. Its two speeds are more than enough for most people's needs, and it has a generous jar size that means you can whiz up those healthy smoothie recipes for the whole family.

Electric dishwashers first appeared at the start of the 1900s (before then, they worked using a hand-cranked spinning mechanism), and the mid-20th-century post-war boom saw the chest version explode in popularity. Dishwashers began to look smarter and more stylish as designers began to consider what they'd look like in people's kitchens, tucked under the counter. That's the sweet spot that Big Chill looks to replicate with its 24" Retro Dishwasher. This dishwasher features a distinctly '50s design that's both classic and well-suited to slotting into all sorts of different kitchen aesthetics. Its big selling point is its large chrome handle, which, coupled with its hidden controls, gives it a classy appearance.

Although it looks a little snug, this dishwasher has three separate racks and allows you to get a deceptively large amount in each load. It operates using Whisper Quiet technology, meaning that it's pretty unintrusive. Plus, it comes in seven standard colors and six premium ones — and if you want to customize further, you have access to 200 different options. Just bear in mind that everything but the standard colors will cost you extra, and it's not exactly cheap already: The base model costs $2,195.

Bread makers are one of those appliances that can quickly clutter up a countertop. Unless you're making bread every day, these items typically don't get as much use as fellow countertop staples like your air fryer, toaster, or kettle. They can also be way more ugly than you might like, providing an unfortunate combination of unsightliness and limited use. Thankfully, if you opt for Neretva's Bread Maker, you might be able to banish the former, and may just be convinced to use it more often. Neretva's appliance, which is available at Walmart for approximately $112, has a chunky design with rounded edges and comes in a jade yellow that feels retro while fitting into contemporary palettes.

It's also worth pointing out how versatile this bread maker is. Neretva's machine has a massive 20 preprogrammed settings, allowing you to cook anything from cornbread to pizza dough, and even dried meat floss. Its LED display allows you to keep track of how long your goods have left to bake, and the clear window on top gives you a peek at your bread while it's cooking. It's the kinda thing that's way more useful than it has any right to be.

Most people want their appliance to look like it's a modern twist on retro aesthetics, but if you're in the market for something that looks truly old-school, then you'll love this rice cooker. Town's Residential 20 Cup Electric Rice Cooker has a faithful old-fashioned aesthetic and a simple design that makes it feel seriously no-fuss. It's easy to imagine this rice cooker sitting on countertops decades ago, and it doesn't look that dissimilar to the Toshiba ER-4, the very first rice cooker made in 1955.

Crucially, the Town Residential 20 Cup Electric Rice Cooker doesn't have any of the bells and whistles of modern machines, but that's part of its charm. All you need to do is pour in your rice and water, flip the switch, and wait. The 20-cup capacity of its uncoated aluminum pot means that it's the perfect appliance if you regularly make large quantities, and it also comes with a rice paddle and measuring cup. It may not have the pizzazz of other retro-inspired appliances, but it's by far one of the most faithfully designed kitchen products out there. Don't forget that a rice cooker is a great buy even if you don't make much rice, too; there are plenty of things you can make in these appliances. 

Kitchen appliances don't come much cuter than this. The electric egg cooker has somewhat fallen out of fashion in recent years, but back in the 20th century, it was commonly used as a nifty tool that could boil eggs to your chosen firmness. Nostalgia's Retro Premium 7-Egg Capacity Electric Egg Cooker brings this appliance back into the modern world, and does so with a kitschy, vintage aesthetic that feels super comforting.

This egg cooker's design, with a dome-shaped lid and curved base, feels way more streamlined than those it's been inspired by. '70s egg cookers tended to look harsh and charmless, but Nostalgia's product flips that on its head, softening things with a pleasing pale-blue color scheme. Using it is also very simple: You just pop your eggs in the machine, add your chosen amount of water, and wait for it to be done. It doesn't just cook eggs, either. Nostalgia's appliance also doubles as a vessel to steam vegetables and dumplings. Consider us big fans.

Air fryers may be in every kitchen around the world these days, but it might surprise you to learn how recent they actually are. Although convection ovens have been around for decades, the air fryer itself wasn't invented until 2006, when Fred van der Weij figured out how to take convection technology and insert it into an appliance that you could place on your countertop. As a result, you won't find any examples of air fryers from the previous century for designers to update and bring to the modern market — but that hasn't stopped SMEG from making a vintage-feeling version of an air fryer that's as charming as it is useful.

SMEG's Countertop Air Fry Oven incorporates all of the company's signature design traits, with rounded edges, a simple display and settings, and a range of muted tones designed to fit into any kitchen's aesthetic. It has the appearance of an actual mini oven, complete with a drop-down front door and adjustable grill racks inside. The large front window on the appliance allows you to see your food while it's cooking, and the 10 cooking functions mean that you can cook, heat, and steam your grub in whatever way you like. It also comes with 33 preprogrammed recipes, for those days when you just don't feel like calculating times and temperatures.

We love slow cookers, but they're often pretty boring to look at, right? That wasn't always the case. Back in the 20th century, designers were way more interested in the aesthetics of their slow cookers, and would opt to create them with colorful exteriors and patterned edges, instead of the standard black they all come in today. So, it's refreshing to see that Swan has taken a retro-inspired risk with its 3.5L Nordic Slow Cooker that banishes some of the gaudier design tendencies of '70s crock pots, but incorporates some vintage vibes in its muted color scheme.

The two-tone coloring of Swan's slow cooker would look superb in virtually any kitchen, and we're particularly big fans of the wood-effect dials and handle, which give it a sophisticated feel. The white ceramic pot can also double as a serving vessel for your slow cooker recipes, and its dishwasher-safe nature makes cleaning up a breeze. Plus, its controls are as simple as any other slow cooker out there: You put your food in, turn the dial, and wait until everything's done.

Sorry, but we're just gonna say it: Fridges are so boring, guys. We know that they're not exactly meant to be the most attractive thing in your kitchen, but all too often they're an eyesore sitting in the corner of the room, existing purely for function. So, imagine our excitement when we first saw Big Chill's 36" Classic Fridge, a frankly gorgeous appliance that seems to take design inspiration from early wooden ice box refrigerators that were common in the 1920s. With a dual-door design for its refrigerator compartment, it feels more like part of your cabinetry than an appliance. It's pretty stunning, folks.

Big Chill doesn't sacrifice all of those modern touches that you want from a fridge, either. Its Classic Fridge also has two crisper drawers, a built-in freezer, an internal water dispenser, and an ice maker. It comes in a frankly massive range of colors, so you won't have to worry about changing your kitchen to match your new appliance. Having said this, it is on the expensive side, with standard models starting at $6,395 — so it might be something you have to save up for.

Some modern kitchen appliances look like they've come straight out of an old-timey diner, and the Nostalgia Retro 12-Cup Coffee Maker is just one such item. This coffee maker looks like it's been beamed straight out of the 1950s, with its combination of straight lines and gently curved edges giving it a feeling of being both classic and modern. The Nostalgia Retro 12-Cup Coffee Maker comes in a range of colors, but its pastel blue and pink models are the ones that, for us, scream vintage appeal. If you want something a little more punchy, though, you can buy the red version, which will make a serious statement in your kitchen.

Although the Retro 12-Cup Coffee Maker feels deeply old-school, Nostalgia has given it some useful updates to allow it to fit in with modern times. The LED display shows both the time and the controls, and the appliance's programmable nature allows you to pick exactly when you want it to turn on and start brewing coffee. It also has boil-dry protection with a two-hour automatic shut-off, and a keep-warm function that prevents it from both cooling and scalding.